The Eatery has opened its doors on the ground floor of One Metropolitan Square in downtown St. Louis. The opening follows the completion of a $2.5 million renovation project to convert part of the building’s ground-floor common areas and a closed restaurant into a large, food court-style dining area. The property owner, Gotham Realty, acquired the tower for $165.8 million from Trizec Properties in 2005, according to Yardi Matrix.

The three initial tenants, Arista Gourmet, Dino’s Deli and Kimcheese Asian Fusion, are launching their first downtown-area restaurants in The Eatery. The hall totals 9,628 square feet, plus a 1,000-square-foot outdoor patio. The area features high ceilings, a variety of seating types and complimentary Wi-Fi for its customers. A JLL team led by Rick Spector is marketing the two remaining restaurant spaces. JLL also handles office leasing and management for the property.

Located at 211 N. Broadway, One Metropolitan Square is a 49-story, 1 million-square-foot office tower in the center of St. Louis’ downtown area, neighboring The Dome at America’s Center and Busch Stadium. Three blocks from the iconic Gateway Arch, the building sits near interstates 44 and 64, offering convenient access throughout the city and across the river into Illinois.

Mass dining venues are an increasingly common method for adding both value and utility to office properties. Last year, Mack-Cali revealed plans to add a full-service food hall to Harborside, the firm’s mixed-use development in Jersey City, N.J.